Sunday, September 29, 2013

Dr. Alex on the Red Carpet with his assistants
Darcelle, Alondra, and Michelle

On Tuesday September 24, 2013 A E Skin held its second annual Red Carpet Event in the Encino office. The event was a tremendous success. We rolled out the red carpet and many people had opportunities to take Hollywood-style professional pictures. Promotions were offered on all products and services and over 30 people attended to take advantage of the specials. The focus was on the Red Carpet Peel, a chemical peel that takes minutes and leads to facial rejuvenation in one week. The most popular product again was the Brightening Cream, the A E Skin signature product that improves fine lines, wrinkles, and discolorations. Everyone in attendance received a gift bag as well as a prize. Support was kindly provided by Merz Aesthetics, makers of Xeomin, Allergan, makers of Juvederm, and Elta MD skin care, makers of our most popular sunscreen: UV Clear. We look forward to our next event, the third annual Holiday Party in December.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

The A E SkinRed Carpet Peel experience is fast, safe, and comfortable. It provides outstanding results for facial rejuvenation, with improvements in fine lines, wrinkles, and discolorations, as well as active acne and acne scars. We start by washing your face and taking baseline photographs to monitor your progress. Next we sit you down in front of a fan to keep you comfortable. We'll then clean your skin with cleansing solutions. When the peeling agent is applied, you will feel a tingling, burning, or itching sensation, but this will subside shortly because it contains a numbing ingredient. We will let you sit in front of the cold air for a few more minutes and we're done. We'll apply sunscreen to your skin and you are good to go.

For best results, carefully follow these aftercare instructions: Please avoid heat, alcohol, and exercise for 24 hours after the treatment. Heat refers to going out in the hot sun, if it were to be hot outdoors, but also any hot environment indoors, such as a hot bath, sauna, or steam room. Also avoid hot or spicy foods or drinks like soup, hot coffee, or hot tea because all of these things will bring blood to the skin and cause problem like redness, blister, and discolorations. Avoid harsh rubbing or scrubbing for one week after the treatment. Do not use products such as washcloths or the Clarisonic brush. Avoid direct water contact from the showerhead when in the shower. Please avoid makeup for several days after the treatment because your skin will be sensitive. You may be red for a few days after the treatment. Redness is normal, don't be alarmed. Feel free to apply cold compresses to your skin to keep you comfortable, if necessary. Sometimes dark discolorations get darker before they get lighter; this is normal. Be sure to apply sunscreen every day.

Most people will peel on days three to five after the treatment, but everyone is different. Some people don't people at all. This is ok, for the goal is not to peel, it is to get results. These people are actually getting exfoliation, but it is microscopic, so you don't see it. If you do get visible peeling, please do not pick at it, otherwise you may have side effects such as redness, blisters, and discolorations. Apply a thin layer of intense moisturizer such as Vaseline, Aquaphor, or the Elta MD Intense Moisturizer to improve the healing process. This goes on best on a wet skin surface. By seven days, the new skin has formed. It is refreshed and rejuvenated, and you will see improvements in color texture and tone.

I recommend an initial series of three to six treatments at four to eight week intervals, followed by maintenance treatments once every three to six months. Contact Dr. Alex (818-835-1833 info@aeskin.com) for a free consultation.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Before and after one Botox treatment on the Crow's feet.
The patient is smiling in both pictures.

Botox has been used for many years to improve wrinkles on the face. The FDA approved Botox treatment in the glabella, the area between the eyebrows where vertical lines form when people frown, in 2002 based on the initial studies of Botox cosmetic. A recent study tested Botox on the crow's feet, the areas just beside the eyes where wrinkles are formed (in the shape of crow's feet) when people smile or squint. In this study, 833 people were tested and Botox was shown to improve the appearance of the crow's feet. On September 11, 2013 the FDA has approved use of Botox for this indication, and treatment of the crow's feet is now on label. On label use is when the FDA approves the treatment based on rigorous scientific studies. Once it is approved for one area, many doctors use it safely off label on other areas. There are many other areas where Botox has been used off label, including the forehead, nose, around the lips, chin, jawline, and neck. Unlike Botox, the other available neuromodulators (Dysport and Xeomin) have not yet been approved for crow's feet and are only approved for the glabella. Again, both Dysport and Xeomin are frequently used off label in areas such as the crow's feet. Contact Dr. Alex (818-835-1833 info@aeskin.com) for a free consultation.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Before and after one IPL Photofacial treatment
for dark spots on the hands

One of the most common questions that I am asked is about the differences between IPL photofacial treatments. There are many different laser systems available and each one is a little different. Also, each office does the treatments a little bit differently. At A E Skin, Dr. Alex uses the Sciton ProfileBroad Band Light system. This is an outstanding device for many reasons. It has a large spot size and fast repetition rate. When combined with Dr. Alex's experience of having done over 1,500 IPL photofacials, the treatment time is less than five minutes long. This compares with 20 to 30 minutes for other systems and users. Additionally, at A E Skin every patient receives topical numbing cream prior to the treatment and cold air during the treatment to allow for a comfortable treatment. The Sciton Broad Band Light system has many settings that can be adjusted for each person's skin to allow for safe treatment of people with both fair and dark skin. Dr. Alex always uses a conservative approach for the first treatment to prevent unwanted side effects such as burns and discolorations. Patients can therefore expect best results after a series of three to six treatments at four to eight week intervals. Those with darker skin require more treatments. For these reasons, the A E SkinIPL Photofacial treatment, unlike other treatments is fast, safe, and comfortable with minimal downtime and outstanding results. It is important to understand these factors and to have appropriate expectations. Contact Dr. Alex (818-835-1833 info@aeskin.com) for a free consultation.

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Now that the summer is wrapping up and fall is around the corner, it is time to make adjustments to your skin care regimen. The changes in temperature and humidity will have effects on the skin. For example, when the air is cold and dry dead skin cells accumulate on the skin. This leads to a rough and uneven texture as well as a dull complexion, because the skin does not reflect light. It is important to exfoliate these dead skin cells using products with ingredients including glycolic acid and salicylic acid such as the A E SkinExfoliating Serum. Products with retin-A such as the A E Skin Night Cream and Brightening Cream will also stimulate cell turnover, getting rid of these dead skin cells, giving a soft and smooth texture and a bright glow. Also as the weather gets dryer, hydrating and moisturizing the skin become increasingly important. Drink plenty of water, use products with hyaluronic acid such as the A E SkinHydrating Serum, and apply moisturizer twice daily. Finally, it is important to continue applying sunscreen daily even when the temperatures decrease in the fall and winter months because the sun can still cause damage to the skin.